Climate change and environmental degradation: bioethical considerations and impact for neonatal care.

Abstract

Climate change has severe consequences for neonatal health. Neonates are uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to their developing bodies and immature immune and thermoregulatory systems. Climate change increases the risk of severe weather events, including extreme heat and natural disasters, as well as pollution and chemical exposures. The physiologic fragility of neonates and dependence on a stable environment require healthcare systems and policymakers to ensure protections are in place to mitigate health risks and potential impacts that will have long-lasting effects on individual development and well-being. The current article details the impacts of climate change on neonatal health across the lifecycle as well as the disproportionate consequences for communities most vulnerable to climate change. We provide evidence as to why this is a bioethical issue and offer recommendations for policies to protect neonatal health and promote environmental and climate justice.